1. Field of Invention
This present invention relates to a superior means to rapidly unload open hopper barges. In particular the present invention relates to a system for unloading granular type materials in an open hopper barge by picking it up, rotating it over and dumping out in a bulk fashion its granular type materials.
2. Prior Art
The art of emptying open hopper barges of their granular contents ranges from the use of, more commonly, single bucket cranes, multiple bucket conveyors, and multiple bucket wheels, to a few, relatively rare barge or other vessel upsetting types of systems, which broadly speaking is the general type of approach employed in the present invention.
With respect to the the bucket unloading systems of the prior art they do not act directly upon the open hopper barge. In all cases the open hopper barge remains afloat in the operating area of the bucket unloading system, and the buckets extract in very limited, discrete portions the granular material from the open hopper barge.
The barge or other type of vessel upsetting systems do act by various means directly upon the open hopper barge or vessel. The prior systems know to applicant have employed:
a cable lifting system, wherein the barge is secured within a carrier, which then is lifted and tilted within tracks by means of the lifting cables (note U.S. Pat. No. 710,194 to H. N. Hughes issued Sept. 30, 1902);
a rotating cylinder system, wherein the barge or other vessel is secured in a trough supported within a cylinder, which cylinder is rotated by means of a gear mechanism (note U.S. Pat. No. 1,823,172 to K. Schon issued Sept. 15, 1931); and
an inclined track system, wherein the barge is secured in a carrier which is translated by rack gears along a ramp to a rolling unit which is then rotated by cables (note U.S. Pat. No. 3,537,600 to Commodore A. Schullmann issued Nov. 3, 1970).
The broader art associated with generaly lifting a vessel from the water in which it is floating, for example as a dry dock, has been addressed by, for examples, the following patents:
______________________________________ U.S. Pat. No. Inventor Issued ______________________________________ 3,270,698 M. R. Fort Sept. 6. 1966 4,072,119 B. V. Williams Feb. 7, 1978 4,084,529 H. Katernberg Apr. 18. 1978 ______________________________________
The bucket unloading type systems of the prior art may be either a mobile facility or a fixed installation and may unload the open hopper barge into a floating or a land-based receiver. However, the unloading bucket systems are relatively slow and adversely affect the turn-around time of the open hopper barge.
The barge upsetting type systems of the prior art are relatively expensive and complex fixed installations, which unload only into land based receivers. Additionally, these prior art systems are not as reliable or as practical or as efficacious as the present invention.
3. General Discussion of the Invention
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a relatively uncomplicated, safe and reliable floating barge unloader system wherein open hopper barges containing granular materials are rapidly unloaded by rotating the barge and dumping in bulk its contents.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a floating barge unloader system wherein open hopper barges are unloaded by rotating the barges and dumping their contents and which may be either a mobile facility or a fixed installation for unloading into either an along-shore land-based or a water based facility.
It is still another object of the present invention to provide a floating barge unloader system wherein open hopper barges are unloaded by rotating the barge and dumping its contents and which unload to a floating receiver or a land-based receptacle.
It achieves all this with a system that operates reliably even with a significant variation in water level by causing the loaded, secured barge to be carried by a floatable platform and preferrably pivoted over about a pivot bar or roller type element mounted to the basic support structure, which pivot element engages the barge along its side closest to the unloading facility. The system also preferrably uses a series of guide rail and roller assemblies and one or more rotating arms that pulls the loaded barge up and over the pivot bar or roller. Other particular efficacious mechanical sub-systems and latching and clamping elements for securing the barge to the barge supporting platform are disclosed and preferrable used.